New Delhi: Former Union minister Sushil Kumar Shinde said on Tuesday said that he felt scared about militants when visiting Lal Chowk in Jammu and Kashmir during his time as home minister under the UPA-II government. The comments from the senior Congress leader come just days before the Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, which will take place in three phases on September 18, September 25, and October 1, with results set to be announced on October 5.
Shinde recalls guidance from Vijay Dhar
At the launch of his memoir, ‘Five Decades in Politics,’ Shinde talked about his trips to the Valley. He said that he was advised to deliver a speech at Srinagar’s Lal Chowk, which greatly boosted his visibility. “When I took on the role of home minister, I sought guidance from educationist Vijay Dhar,” said Shinde, who held the position from 2012 to 2014. “He advised me not to stay confined but instead to visit Lal Chowk in Srinagar, interact with the locals, and explore Dal Lake, ” he added
“That advice brought me publicity, and people perceived me as a home minister who visited without fear. But who could I tell that I was actually scared?” he admitted. “I’m sharing this just to make you laugh, but as a former policeman, I shouldn’t really speak this way,” he added with a smile.
BJP hits back
Reacting to the remarks, BJP’s Shehzad Poonawala slammed Congress and National Conference, alleging they promoted “Pakistan Parasti Parivarwadi” politics in Kashmir before Article 370’s abrogation. He credited the BJP’s “DDD” approach (Development, Dialogue, Decentralisation) for reducing terrorism, stone-pelting and casualties. “Terror hotspots are now tourism hubs,” he said, urging Congress to acknowledge the progress, citing Sachin Tendulkar playing cricket on previously violence-plagued streets.
Shinde was appointed as the Union home minister in 2012 under the Manmohan Singh-led UPA government. During his tenure, he oversaw significant events, including the trials and executions of 26/11 Mumbai attacker Ajmal Kasab and Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, as well as the high-profile 2012 Delhi gangrape case.